Because of the cost of hiring an expert plumber and because of the great feeling you get when you’ve the done your job yourself, more and more people are learning all they can about the plumbing in their homes and what to do when things go wrong.
As they say knowledge is power and people should start by understanding that the plumbing system in their homes has three distinct parts,
The supply carries water to your home’s fixtures
The drain waste system carries used water away
The vent system carries away sewer gasses and maintains proper pressure inside the pipes.
There are several problems that the average homeowner can encounter and they can work on themselves once they understand the plumbing in their homes and what they can tackle without too much difficulty.
One of the more common problems encountered by the average homeowner are clogged and blocked drains and toilets. Although the experts suggest here that chemical drain cleaners can be used to prevent clogs they should never be used to clear them.
Here it’s recommended that the plunger and the auger are the tools that will get the best results. To get the best results when you’re plunging, there are several things that you need to look at. You should choose a plunger that has a suction cup large enough to cover a drain opening completely. The clogged fixture should have enough water in it to create a seal. Cover all the other outlets before you start and make sure that you cover the plunger seal with some sort of petroleum jelly to increase the suction.
One of the other options that you have is to use an auger to break the clog. Here you need to feed the line into the drain or trap until it stops. There should be some sort of handle at the other end that you can rotate clockwise to break the clog. It’s important that you should never rotate the handle counterclockwise as you can damage the cable.
As the cable works its way into the pipe you can loosen the nut on the handle near the cable and then force more of the cable down. Remember to tighten the nut back up after you’ve moved it down.
When you feel the clog break free, you can pull the auger out slowly but you should have a pail at the ready to catch anything that’s been caught on the cable on the way back up. It’s important that you flush the drain with hot water after you’re done and lubricate the auger before you put it away.
Learning how to do some essential elements of your home plumbing is often as easy as finding the right tools and learning how to use them. When you understand how the plumbing in your house works, you’ll be better equipped to deal with any of the little emergencies that crop up. There are a lot of plumbing problems that home owners encounter. Drains that get plugged is one of the most commonly found problems. Here are some easy steps that can help you.
Make sure that you run the hottest tap water that you can through the draining system every few days. Not only can this help prevent plugged drains but it also can help prevent the build up of bad odors that often occurs.If the drain is already plugged you may want to try putting a tablespoon of baking soda down the drain. Once this is done then slowly pour about 1/4 cup or so of vinegar down the drain and let it sit for half an hour or so. Then run very hot water through the drain. Many times this will unplug minor problems that occur.
If grease is the problem with the drain then pouring some salt water down it can help prevent a heavier build up from happening. Try not to pour grease down the drains in your kitchen is the best method of prevention for this issue. Many people use a can or jar to pour all of the unwanted grease into as opposed to pouring it down a drain. This is a very easy way to prevent this issue.
There are a lot of drain cleaners that are available these days. This may be the next step that needs to be done if the natural remedies are not working for you. Make sure that you follow the instructions very carefully as these cleaners contain some very harmful chemicals. You also need to make sure that the cleaner you choose is suitable for the drains that are in your home.
Trying to prevent a plugged drain from occurring is the very best line of defense that a person has. This can include using strainers kitchen sinks to prevent things from entering into the drain. Another very important thing is to remember to remove hair from the shower drain on a very regular basis. The hair can cause huge problems to happen when it comes to plugged drains. An ounce of prevention can be worth its weight in gold.
If the plug continues to be an issue, you may require the help of a licensed plumber in order to get the drains back working properly. This can be a very costly thing but there are times that this is the only choice that a person has to get to the root of the problem. They have the tools and equipment that most people don’t own that can help resolve that you have.
Looking around the internet can help you find many options that are available for plumbers that are in your area. There are many people around that work in this profession and finding someone that can tackle the issue you have should not be difficult. Taking some time to look into the services they provide and the prices that they charge can help you find the best deal for your budget.